Open Hearts
by leandra1709
Summary: Raven's playful flirting with Judith never seemed very serious, until one night where they get the chance to speak to each other, one-on-one. Oneshot. JudithxRaven


_Author's note: I beat Vesperia recently, and felt a bit empty at the fact that there would be no more stories to tell. I wanted Raven and Judith to get together so bad, so I decided to start writing fanfiction. This is my first story, and I'm making sure it fits the FF standards._

* * *

Judith had trouble sleeping that night again, as she did every night. It did not matter which area they were in, she always found herself thinking too much, unable to peacefully fall asleep. She sat up from her spot near the King of Adventure Inn wagon and looked around. Rita and Estelle were fast asleep in the wagon. Rita was hugging her beloved book to her chest and Estelle was hugging Repede's overdrive warrior plush, the one that looked like Yuri, in her sleep. Judith gave them a small smile before standing up and quietly making her way out of the clearing. She passed by where the guys were sleeping, quickly glancing over at them but not paying much attention.

The windy air was cool and felt nice to her. The cold never really bothered her, but it was a nice temperature regardless. She made her way to a large rock that overlooked Halure. She sat down with her back against it, staring out across the field. She could see a few monsters running around, but they were far enough away to leave her alone. She would not mind fighting them the next day. Tonight she wanted to relax and gather her thoughts. She thought about their journey, how far they had come, and what was to happen next. She closed her eyes as memories of the events that had passed went through her mind. Her eyes instantly opened when she heard a twig snap and then a familiar voice.

"I figured I'd find ya out here somewhere."

Judith glanced up at her older companion. Raven stood over her with a silly smile on his face. Judith gave him a sneaky smile back, "And what were you doing out here looking for me?"

Raven put both of his hands behind his head, "Aw, it ain't like that, Judy. I just couldn't sleep either. I went out for a walk, saw you, and..."

"Decided to follow me in a non-creepy manner?" Judith finished for him, still giving the sneaky smile.

Scratching his chin sheepishly, Raven nervously said, "Ah, yeah... I thought maybe we could talk and spend some time together."

Judith looked up at the night sky, "You know, I usually come out here to be alone."

The old man paused for a second, unsure of what to say. He did not want to want to upset her, but he also did not want to just give up so easily. He decided to try his luck, "Well, if ya want, I can just-"

"But," Judith interrupted, "I suppose it won't do any harm to talk with you tonight instead." She looked over at him and gave a warm smile.

Raven chuckled and sat down across from her, "If you insist, my dear."

A few moments of silence passed between them. Judith stared at him with unemotional eyes, impossible to read into. Once again, he was unsure of what to say. He had many things that he wanted to tell her, but unless it was as a joke around the rest of their group, he was reluctant to get into a serious talk with her.

Judith broke the silence, "There's no one else you'd rather be bothering?" Her voice had a teasing tone to it, allowing him to play along.

"Judith, darlin', you know you're the only woman for me."

Tilting her head to the side and sounding more intent, she brought up something that stuck in her head, "It seemed like you knew a lot of women back in Dhangrest."

Raven closed his eyes and nodded, "Well, ladies are always interested in an old war hero." He opened his eyes again and looked into hers, "And I ain't interested unless they're a beautiful Krityan who can hold her own in battle."

He held his breath waiting for her reaction. It seemed like an eternity for her to say something, and he was considering walking away, but she started laughing softly. He felt a sense of relief wash over him. She might not have believed him, but at least he had told her how he really felt. He stood up and dusted off his pants, "Well, with that being said, I'd better get back. Not like you'd be interested in an old man like me anyway." He looked at her to see her expression.

She still had a small smile on her face, "Goodnight then."

Raven felt a bit disappointed at her response, but it was better than her outright rejecting him. He put his hands behind his head and started walking away, "Don't stay out too late, darlin'. Need your beauty rest."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Judith replied. When he was out of earshot, she quietly said, "Thank you." She watched him until he was gone from her sight, then sighed. Her heart was pounding, and she felt a warm sense of comfort and affection inside. She was glad she had many years of poker on her side, allowing her to keep a straight face. The things he said to her always made her wonder how he really felt about her, and being alone tonight gave them the chance to be serious and honest.

She pushed her index finger against her lips and bit the tip of it, "I wonder..."

Maybe there was more to this old man than she realized.

The field below her seemed unfamiliar as Judith stood up. She forgot what she originally had come here to think about. She smiled to herself after a few seconds and turned around, heading back to everyone else.

Yuri was leaving the wagon just as Judith arrived back. He stopped when she appeared, "Where were you?"

Judith smiled softly and calmly said, "Just out on a walk. I had something on my mind."

Yuri nodded, "Yeah, same here. I need to go clear my head." He started walking away, and Judith went back to the camp.

Everyone was as they were before, with Raven added, leaning against the wagon. His eyes were closed, arms crossed, and he seemed to be asleep. She walked up to him and watched him for a few seconds. When he did not stir, she crouched on the ground and sat next to him. She put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, leaning her whole body against him, "I'll just stay like this for a little bit..."

The relaxing comfort she felt was able to send her mind to sleep. Within a few minutes, she was fast asleep.

Raven had felt someone lean against him. He opened one eye lazily and saw the one person he hoped would be next to him. He adjusted his body so she could fit more comfortably, and put one arm around her shoulder. As he went back into dreamland, a small smile escaped his lips.


End file.
